Process and means for caramelising caramel, toffee and similar substances

摘要

806,633. Confectionery and sweetmeats. BAKER PERKINS Ltd. Nov. 17, 1955 [Nov. 23, 1954], No. 33914/54. Class 28 (1). Caramel, toffee and the like is made by mixing and then homogenizing or disintegrating the ingredients after which the substance is cooked and then continuously discharged to an apparatus for caramelizing or developing the flavour of the substance, this apparatus being so constructed that the time for which the substance remains in the apparatus can be varied without altering the rate of flow. Caramelizing cylinder 1 is enclosed in a steam jacket 3 surrounded by insulating material 4 and contains a stirrer 5 driven through reduction gear 7 by an electric motor 6. The bottom of cylinder 1 is closed by a cover 8 with an inlet 9 and a central aperture 10 through which slides an adjustable outlet tube 11. Tube 11 comprises sleeves 12, 13 spaced apart by a ring 14 at their upper ends so as to accommodate a pipe 15 over which they slide. Packing 16 prevents leakage between sleeve 13 and cover 8. The substance to be caramelized passes from the cooker to an electrically-driven pump 17 which feeds it through conduit 19 to inlet 9. As shown, Fig. 2, sleeve 13 has a projection 20 secured to one link of an endless chain 21 passing round sprocket-wheels 22, 23, one of which is turned by a hand wheel through a pawl and ratchet arrangement so as to raise and lower tube 11. Alternatively, Fig. 3 (not shown), tube 11 is raised and lowered through a worm and worm-wheel drive by hand or by an electric motor. If a motor is provided in this arrangement it may be operated to move the tube 11 gradually down to allow the remaining substance to be discharged when pump 17 has been stopped. Tube 11 may be a single sleeve when guide tube 15 will be omitted. In a modification, Fig. 4, a number of outlets 31 arranged at different levels terminate in slidable extensions 32 leading to a common duct 33 and thence to a depositor or cooling table. Each outlet 31 is controlled by a valve 34 with a stem 35 projecting through the casing and having a handle 36 by which it may be rotated to move it axially. In a further modification, Fig. 6 (not shown) a cylindrical jacket is provided having one end wall movable axially to alter the length of the jacket and containing a rotatable scraper screw carried on a shaft mounted in the movable end wall and in the fixed end wall. Either a flexible outlet spout or a rigid curved rotatable outlet spout may be provided for varying the depth of material in the jacket. In another embodiment a vertical cylindrical vessel is provided having superimposed annular jacketed sections some or all of which may be heated by steam.